Wishmaker
by Kyatto no Edo
Summary: Eleven X Romana II - The Doctor and Amy investigate the Wishmaker - a machine that lets you live with what you want the most. However the Doctor is surprised by what it reveals to him... Romana.


**SPOILERS: **Minor spoilers for Series 5 and if you don't know who Eleven and Amy are.

**Pairing: **The Doctor (11)/Romana II

**Wishmaker**

Another trip into the future, only it was even more distant. Perhaps it was even an alternate universe. The TARDIS had always been a little tricky with that sort of thing. No matter, because for once they had gone somewhere that wasn't really all that hostile towards them. This was a place of leisure and luxury, for the wealthy human families to spend their recreation time. It was home to one of mankind's greatest yet most devastating devices – the Wishmaker. Few people lucky enough to step inside one are ever seen again. It had been said that it was so glorious, so wonderful; no one ever dared desire the outside world again. Naturally, the Doctor had to check it out for himself and take Amy along for the ride.

They were in the main building that housed the Wishmaker devices. Fortunately, using the psychic paper, the Doctor was able to acquire a couple of spares. He and Amy parted ways as the Wishmaker could only be used by one person at a time. The Doctor has his doubts, so he knew that even if the human girl were to become entranced he would be able to stop it before it went too far. There was no way it was programmed well enough to fully affect a Time Lord. This was only a matter of curiosity and humor – nothing more.

As it so turned out, the Wishmaker was a large stark white empty room. Naturally, the Doctor seemed doubtful upon stepping in. But then the door slammed shut behind him and _everything_ changed.

Everything.

He was suddenly back home on Gallifrey, amongst the soft red grass fields. It was surprisingly empty, which was odd for a Wishmaker. He was starting to wonder what it was up to when he saw _her_. Romana.

She looked the same as when he left her with K9. Still with the bright eyes, and long flowing blond hair. She even had on her pink coat. It sent a fluttering straight to his hearts. In the back of his mind he knew this was all a fabrication, that she wasn't real. She was sealed away in a Time Lock with the rest of his people. But still… it felt wonderful. He couldn't help but wonder why it chose her. Out of all his traveling companions, surely it would have considered Rose, Grace, even Sarah Jane or Donna. Did it tie in his desire for his home world to have survived along with what he thought of her? He did always find her to be rather superb.

He twirled around on his heel when he heard her voice _behind_ him and a bewildered expression crossed his face. "Romana?"

"Hello Doctor," she smiled at him. "It's probably been a while? I like the new face, excellent choice."

"I – well -," he sheepishly rubbed at the back of his head and smirked. "Anyway, I really wasn't expecting you to talk, given you're nothing more than a hologram. A fabrication of the Wishmaker machine."

"Oh, but I know that," Romana nodded. "You remember I'm just as clever as you are? The Wishmaker sensed your desire for interaction, so here I am. Fully capable of speech."

"But this isn't _real_," the Doctor protested and started pacing around her. "You are nothing more than a refreshed memory inside my head. You're an _illusion_, a –a _hallucination_…"

"I beg your pardon!" She frowned, folding her arms across her chest and flashing him a most petulant look. "I'm just as real as you'd want me to be."

"No," the Doctor shook his head furiously. "No, no, no. That's just what the machine would like me to think. All part of its trap. See? I know that very well. I _remember_ that. Which is why I still know how very _not_ real you are, Romana."

"But you still used my name," her lips curled back to a smile. "If I wasn't who you want to believe I am you wouldn't have."

"That still doesn't explain why out of all of Gallifrey," he finally stopped his pacing and looked at her incredulously. "It chose _you_. To be perfectly honest, you haven't been on my mind in a rather long time."

"Such is the nature of the Wishmaker," she gestured all around her. "It doesn't tap in to recent wants. Instead it hunts deep, deep down to places probably left forgotten. You _wanted_ to remember me, Doctor."

"Ah, but see, the question is now _why_ did I want to remember you?" He stepped closer to her, peering at her curiously. "Not that I don't find you of excellence, but it has been a great number of years."

"If I'm reading you correctly," Romana glanced up at the sky a moment before looking back at him. "You've been traveling with an awful lot of humans lately. Naturally they are inferior to us, no matter how brilliant they may seem. Since the Time War you've secretly craved the companionship of someone of the same caliber as you. Someone who is your equal, perhaps even more so."

A wind whipped by and blew at their hair as they fell silent. Finally, the Doctor's hardened expression softened. "It's been fine with them. Fantastic, really."

"I'm glad," she replied honestly. "But I'm still picking up a great deal of suffering from deep within you. You know you will never be able to have what you lost ever again."

"Let's say you're right," the Doctor made a face and turned his back to her as he thought. Then he spun back around to face Romana again. "Let's say I have been feeling lonely lately. Is that what this machine does, then? Remind us of what makes us miserable? Hardly a wish-granting device."

"If seeing me again makes you 'miserable' as you so put it, I wouldn't even be here at all," she looked mildly exasperated, growing tired of explaining the inner workings in a manner one might explain the ways of life to a small child. "Why can't you just admit you're happy?"

"Because," he pointed at her, his fingertip touching the center of her chest. "That would mean I've given in to the power of the machine. Which I've _not_."

"I can honestly say the machine probably would never have the full effect on you," she sighed, all but rolling her eyes as she gently pushed his hand down. "It was made to give humans pleasure. You're free to walk out anytime you would like to."

"You're probably right," he agreed softly. After glancing away, he slowly stepped closer to her. "Before I do go, though, I just want to know something. Even though I'd be technically telling myself what I already know. No matter." His smile didn't quite reach his eyes, there was too much sadness recalled. "It might be nice to hear it coming from you."

"What is it, Doctor?" Romana cocked her head to one side and blinked at him.

"You left me," the Doctor gently took her hands in his. "There were so many other places I would have loved to have taken you. So many wonderful adventures. Even Adric missed you. But you chose to stay there. It was such a rash decision…" He looked away again before meeting her eyes. "I'd just like to know why is all."

"But you already know why," she laughed softly. "I wanted to be my own Time Lord. My own Romana. It was lovely to travel with you, Doctor. But we did what we had to do together, and then some. It was time I moved on and did things for myself. I was needed there, you were most certainly needed elsewhere. It was for the best we parted ways. And as you also already know, I in fact moved on to do nearly impossible things."

"Only improbable," the Doctor corrected with a grin. "But I must say, you were fantastic, Lady President."

"Thank you," Romana nodded and grinned back. "You're not doing too badly, yourself. Send my regards to Amelia."

"…I will," he replied and pulled her into a hug.

When she said Amy's name though, reality began to register once more. It wasn't until he pulled her into a tight embrace that the atmosphere of Gallifrey began to disappear and she faded from his senses. In seconds he was back in the white empty room. The door unlatched and popped open. He stood there a moment, glancing up at the ceiling wistfully, then back at the spot where Romana had been standing. A sad, haunted look washed over him and he lingered. Then suddenly, a loud piercing scream rendered him fully alert.

"Amy?" the Doctor looked all around. Another scream led him in the right direction. "Amy!"

He dashed out the door leaving only an empty room and an old memory behind.

FIN


End file.
